


Petrichor

by unfolded73



Series: S6 Reaction Fics [2]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Best Friends, Gen, Lovers to Friends, Recreational Drug Use, background David Rose/Patrick Brewer, past David Rose/Stevie Budd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22281070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unfolded73/pseuds/unfolded73
Summary: After the events of 6x02, David and Stevie talk.
Relationships: Stevie Budd & David Rose
Series: S6 Reaction Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603735
Comments: 55
Kudos: 209





	Petrichor

**Author's Note:**

> I decided for this fic that Stevie has been out of the loop with what happened to David in 6x02 because I felt strongly that he deserved somebody who didn't know this very private thing about him. Note that there is reference to David and Stevie's past sexual relationship in this fic, and also the tag for drug use.

Stevie lay back on the picnic table behind the motel and stared up at a cloudy sky, the air smelling of rain and the piney stench of the joint that dangled between her fingers. When David approached, summoned via text message, she could hear the shuffle of his sneakers through the grass. He didn’t say anything, just lay down next to her on the table. Stevie lifted her heavy hand, holding the joint out, and David took it from her fingers and put it to his lips. Letting her head loll to the side, she watched him take a drag, his pink lips pursed. David had a very pretty mouth; it was one of the first things she’d noticed about him. Okay, maybe not one of the first. First would have been his eyebrows and his leather jacket and the fact that he used the word ‘thrice’. But she’d noticed his mouth at some point in those first couple of days. It was one of the things that had gotten her in trouble back then, before they settled into this comfortable friendship.

“What’s up?” she asked. She’d been in her own little bubble of worry and anxiety ever since she admitted to Mr. Rose yesterday that she maybe — no, definitely — wanted to take a step back from the motel business. And since David had practically moved in with Patrick, she hadn’t seen him in days.

“Nothing I feel like talking about. What’s up with you?” He took a second hit before he could have even begun to feel the first one and then handed the joint back to her.

“I’m pretty sure I broke your dad’s heart,” she sighed, flexing her toes, shifting her head back and forth and enjoying the brush of her own hair against her neck. 

Stevie could feel David looking at her. “What are you talking about?”

“I told him I want to try something besides running a motel. Figure out if there’s anything else I could be doing with my life.”

“Uh huh. And what did he say to that?”

“That he wouldn’t stop me. And he hopes I’ll come back. And something about a button factory,” she said, drawing more smoke into her lungs even though this weed was pretty good and she was already feeling it.

“Mmm.” 

She had hoped for more from David than a noncommittal hum, but he seemed to be wrestling with some heavy thoughts of his own. 

“I’m still afraid, though,” Stevie said.

“Of trying something new?”

She nodded, but he was back to staring up at the sky. “It’s what’s kept me here. Even the thought of it has always scared the hell out of me, like the world out there is too big for me. Like outside of Schitt’s Creek, I’ll just… disappear.”

David reached down and took her hand, threading their fingers together. “So what changed?”

“ _Cabaret_ taught me that being afraid of something doesn’t mean I can’t do it.” 

David squeezed her hand. “I’m proud of you.” 

“Gross.”

“So what are you gonna do now?”

“I have no fucking clue.” The clouds above their heads darkened, and Stevie glanced at David’s clothes to see if he was wearing something that couldn’t get wet. She could feel the texture of his sweater against her arm, but she didn’t know anything about luxury knits so it didn’t really give her any additional information. 

“I’m gonna be married,” David murmured.

“Yeah, you’ve mentioned that once or twice.”

“No, Stevie, I mean for real. I don’t mean I’m going to have a wedding. I mean, I’m going to be _married_.”

She closed one eye and looked at him through the other, but it didn’t help her understand what he was talking about. “I know.”

“Like, even when I said yes to Patrick’s proposal, there was a voice inside me… you know the voice that tells you you’re worthless? Do you have one of those?”

Stevie snorted. “What do you think?”

“I think you and I are too much alike for you not to. When I said yes, that voice was still telling me that it wouldn’t last. That I’d get a few nice years with him, and then all of my quirks that Patrick thinks are cute would wear him down and he’d want a divorce.”

“That’s dark,” Stevie said. The breeze picked up and she shivered.

“Yes, and therefore very on-brand for me.” Stevie passed him the last stub of the joint. David took one more hit and extinguished it on the picnic table. “But…” He paused and inhaled deeply, sighing it out. “Patrick loves me.”

“What an incredible insight, David.”

“No, like he _really_ loves me. Like, he’s in it for the long haul.”

“That voice in your head must really have done a number on you if you’re just now figuring this out.”

“I just never imagined anyone would…” While she watched, a tear slid down the side of his face into his hair. “I’ll get old.”

“Eventually, yes… although if your dad is any indication, your hair will look great,” Stevie said. 

“I’ll get old and gray and wrinkled, and Patrick _won’t care_.” He proclaimed this like he’d just uncovered one of the great mysteries of the universe, squeezing her hand again for emphasis. 

“No, I imagine he won’t.” Stevie said. “Because he loves you.” This was the real reason they still got high together sometimes, she dimly realized. To facilitate this kind of truth-telling. To burn away the acerbic outer shells to reveal the gooey marshmallows within. She gasped. “We should roast marshmallows.”

David whipped his head over, staring at her. “That’s an amazing idea.”

“Right?” She grinned widely.

Stevie didn’t feel attracted to David anymore, but she could remember what it felt like to be attracted to David. She could remember the things she liked about sex with him. He smelled really good, and she’d liked the way his hands looked on her body. She’d liked the things he knew how to do with them.

“Also, I really need to get laid,” Stevie sighed.

“So I can’t help you with that, but I can help you with the marshmallow thing.”

“You have marshmallows?”

“No,” he said, looking crestfallen, and then his face lit up. “Patrick can bring us marshmallows.”

“He’s nice. He probably would do that.” She giggled. “What a dork.”

“Hey, that dork is my future husband.”

“You love saying that word, don’t you?”

“I love it so much,” David said with a grin that brought out his dimples.

“David, what if I try to do something bigger and I fail?”

“Then it won’t be the end of the world,” David said, still meeting her gaze. “It turns out that things that feel like the end of the world usually aren’t.”

Stevie blinked slowly. That was _deep_. She needed to write that down. 

“Tomorrow I’ll help you brainstorm some ideas,” David said. “Come to the store. We’ll make a moodboard about your hopes and dreams.”

“Sounds fun,” she said flatly, rolling her eyes.

“Hey, it’s either that or you go to my future husband and he tells you to write a pro and con list.”

She grimaced. “Let’s do the moodboard.”

Thunder rumbled, and a fat drop of rain hit Stevie’s cheek. There was a screech from David, and then the two of them were tumbling off the picnic table, running and laughing until they reached the protective awning of the motel. Stevie inhaled the fresh smell of the rain and smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://unfolded73.tumblr.com).


End file.
